"Acting Prison Warden, the monster has already broken through C2 area!"

The prison echoed with the urgent reports from the prison guards.

"How are our people? What are the casualty numbers?"

"As per your orders, we've already pulled our people out first!"

The tactic they adopted was to fight while retreating, and during their confrontation with the monster, they gradually figured out the monster's characteristics. Despite its impenetrable body and immense strength, its movement speed was very slow, about as slow as someone strolling casually. However, no one could guarantee that this monster wouldn't suddenly start sprinting.

Therefore, subsequent gunfire became scarce, to avoid suddenly provoking the monster. The role of the prison guards was to gradually lure the monster into the trap they had set up in advance.

The arrival of the Acting Prison Warden reassured them greatly.

"Acting Prison Warden, what should we do now?"

In the distance, the heavy footsteps of the monster were faintly audible. Everyone awaited the Acting Prison Warden's orders. Their eager eyes watched as the Acting Prison Warden reached for his holster and pulled out... a banana.

The peel was still green, looking rather unripe.

"Now, listen to me!"

The Acting Prison Warden ignored the strange looks from the prison guards. After some "reflection" on the road, he finally understood one thing.

He was a hopeless African.

This was also the term that the green-haired literary girl had told him, referring to those unlucky people in gacha games who always hit the highest loss on the drop chart.

The cost of a five-in-one sacrifice was evidently painful. He had lost his sidearm, hat, the badge that symbolized the warden's authority, and his high-end watch. This didn't even include the alchemical materials he had hastily grabbed from the road. He exchanged these "offerings" for a leftover hot dog, an unripe banana, and a tattered rag.

If his wife found out about this, she'd twist his head off.

The only gain was learning about the "Sword Forging Contest" rules from the literary girl.

This was an extremely profound elemental magic, where five sacrificial offerings would temporarily open a gate to a black hole for them.

According to the rules, they could randomly pull out an item from the black hole.

The prize for the "Sword Forging Contest" was provided by Little Dark, the mistress of the dark elements. The rules were absolutely fair, based solely on luck, with no manipulation behind the scenes.

Even Little Dark herself didn't know what kinds of things she had absorbed over the years.

This meant you could end up with a leftover hot dog or a city-level super weapon—the Acting Prison Warden's current outcome was three consecutive grays, leaving him feeling entirely gray himself.

But he didn't have a moment to be sad, raising his voice, "Get out your sidearms, gather any objects you can find, arrange them in groups of five according to a pentagram pattern... Can't find enough? Then use your hats, and if still not enough, take off your clothes, belts, and pants!"

This shout immediately shocked everyone.

The monster had breached C2 area, and the prisoners' fates were unknown. At this moment, the impenetrable monster was closing in on them, and in the face of such peril, the Acting Prison Warden's order was to disarm and strip.

"Acting Prison Warden, we can't surrender to the monster!"

"Even if we do surrender, there's no need to strip!"

"This damages our dignity!"

Faced with the subordinates' doubts, the Acting Prison Warden waved his hand, "What do you know? There's no time, hurry up and do it! And, those who usually have the best luck at cards, the ones who win the most money, step forward!"

The prison guards exchanged glances, and the named card game experts felt a chill in their hearts.

Only then did they realize what was going on.

The pentagram array seemed like some sort of simple sacrificial ritual. They remembered that the Acting Prison Warden had terrible luck with cards and often lost most of his remaining living expenses at the card table. Despite this, he loved to play. Given that the prison guards' work at night was relatively relaxed, they often invited a few people to play cards until dawn.

His wife found out about this, and it's said that she often hung him up and beat him.

Could it be that the Acting Prison Warden... held a grudge because of this and planned to take the opportunity to sacrifice those of them who often won money to the Evil God?

"Hurry up!"

The Acting Prison Warden shouted again.

...

For the Director of the Security Office, this was an extremely long day.

He was arrested and imprisoned, stabbed several times with a dining knife by the prison thugs during dinner, and bandaged by the prison clinic doctor. Yet, the intense pain kept him awake, and even worse, he knew this was just the beginning. Before being sent to the guillotine for final judgment, they would spend every day in fear and trepidation.

He even suspected the collusion between the prison guards and the prisoners, believing they would turn a blind eye to the prisoners' attacks, while the prisoners would avoid vital spots.

There are many ways in this world that don't kill, but are more torturous than death.

As the former director of the Security Office, his specialty was tormenting the unruly lowlifes of the Lower City. Mayor Hafeez had initially valued this very skill.

There were still many of his "acquaintances" in the prison—those he had tormented to the point of ruin before sending them to prison to await death.

As he was gripped by terror, a prison guard who introduced himself as Marshall approached him, bringing a crimson fruit slice and a message from Mayor Hafeez.